From Sunday, April 15, members of the public will see three officers on horseback covering South Norfolk and one officer covering North Norfolk. It is hoped, if successful, the initiative will be extended to other areas of the county.

The charity’s field officer Jacko Jackson and assistant centre manager Justina Smith assessed the officers in February at the Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Snetterton.

Mr Jackson said: “Re-introducing officers on horseback is a positive move as it allows them to be seen in areas of the countryside where they traditionally may have not been seen. The horses can also be a magnet for people wanting to come and speak with you which could potentially lead to the disclosure of important information about crime in the area.”

The aim of the new mounted officers is to help tackle rural crime and will be used as part of Norfolk police’s successful Operation Randall.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Nick Dean, who leads the operation, said: “The scheme will make a real difference as the mounted specials will offer a visible yet reassuring presence in the local communities where they will be patrolling.

“There is also no additional cost to the constabulary as the specials would be using their own horses.”

Since they can't stop the crimes when they know pretty much who is responsible how on earth are a few nags going to help? What good are they against the white vans in the night or the JCBs ram raiding ATMs or the hare coursers that are deemed so nasty farmers are told not to approach them or those who steal farm equipment in the night. Is lack of information about rural crime really a problem or is the problem lack of clear up? I can't recall seeing any rural police horses in my lifetime for them to be " reintroduced" . One also worries about overconfidence in their safety near children. On the whole I suspect rural communities might be happier seeing more prosecutions and stiffer sentencing for crimes that are reported than this PR stunt.